Developing rack



Aug. 24, 1948. H. MILLMAN DEVELOPING RACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1945 INVENTOR HERMAN MILLMAN ATTORNEY Aug. 24, 1948. H. MILLMAN DEVELOPING RACK Filed June 25, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fflifilt INVENTOR M LLMAN HERMAN ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 24, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,447,986 DEVELOPING RACK Herman Millman, Brooklyn, N. Y. Application June 23, 1945, Serial No. 601,215 1 Claim. (Cl. 95100) This invention relates to a greatly improved rack for development of photographic films and for many other chemical processes involving the treatment of relatively thin strips of materials.

More specifically this invention relates to an improved rack which provides easy access to chemical treating materials for articles held therein. The new frame will hold individual strips out of each others contact during processing while in wet, sticky or weakened condition thus guaranteeing a satisfactory product where proper treating methods have been followed.

While not limited thereto, the invention is of particular importance where a developing rack is desired that allows easy addition or removal of individual frame members so as to allow utilization of the device in connection with any convenient number of strips. In addition to these advantages the new device is cheap, light, easy to handle and easy to carry, and may be made on cheap and easily available equipment without trouble.

In accordance with this invention grooved members for support of the elongated strips to be treated are nested in rectangular position to provide a quadrangular structure for passage and holding of the strip to be treated. Affixed side strips, an open frame on the bottom which prevents sliding out of the strips in downward direction, and convenient handling means for supporting the frame without touching any of its members or the strips therein are provided. It will thus readily be observed that using this invention the operator need not enter the treatment tank in order to effect all the processing steps.

Various modifications illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described more in detail later on in this specification are embraced in this invention. They provide various arrangements and combinations of the frames under discussion.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description (and accompanying drawings), and to the appended claim in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawing forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a treatment rack built in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section of the bottom of the rack shown in the previous figures and taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is the upper part of a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig. 3 along line 5--5 of that figure.

Another modification of this invention, useful in particular where only few strips are to be treated simultaneously is shown which is an elevational view.

Fig. 7 is a side view of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section of the bottom of the structure illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 and taken along line 8-8 of that latter figure.

Fig. 9 is a side section of the top of the structure illustrated in the three preceding figures and has been taken very close to one of the shorter edges.

Fig. 10 shows yet another modification of the invention in elevational front view.

Fig. 11 is a side section of the device illustrated in Fig. T0 taken close to one of its corners.

The treatment rack made in accordance with the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-5, includes a plurality of grooved vertical passages l0 facing each other and rigidly held together in by a plurality of fitting short horizontal grooved members H and [2 which are nested in rectangular relation to the grooved vertical passages l0. Outside horizontal members ll fit only upon one thickness of the vertical grooved passages l0 while the inside horizontal members I2 are required to fit upon two parallel walls of vertical grooved passages in. As a relatively tight fit is required it will be readily understood that the U-shaped groove is considerably wider in grooved members l2 than in grooved members H. Side straps l3 and I4 adhesively attached in horizontal position along the backs of grooved vertical passages l0 help hold the structure together and give it added rigidity.

The lower end of the frame is held together by an open framework consisting of narrow straps so as to prevent the strips under treatment from sliding out while leaving enough open space for penetration of treating agents into the frame in an upward direction. This open framelike structure may conveniently be composed of four horizontal straps l5 together forming a square which fits tightly upon the entire bottom of this structure and held together by a pair of crossed bars I6 located at the very bottom of this construction.

A convenient handle in Fig. 6

[1, which may be U-shaped or may have any other convenient intended shape is securely attached to one horizontalwall of the structure.

During operation of this device a series of strips of material to be treated are merely slid into the space between horizontal grooved members II and I2, or I2, and by the grooves. The device is then held at handle I1 and dipped into the treatment tank in that position. It now undergoes any desired treating process or any multitude of them. At the end of processing the strips are withdrawn in inverse manner of insertion.

The device illustrated in Figs. 6-9 is quite similar to the one discussed above, both, in operation and construction but utilizes additional grooved members 18 in vertical position to separate grooved vertical passages II). It also has a straight handle l9 having a rounded grasp portion. In this embodiment extra wide horizontal grooved members 2! rectangularly nesting one vertically grooved member 18 and two walls of grooved members 10 at each of its ends. It should be noted from this embodiment of the invention that outside horizontal members II, or II and I2, maybe utilized at the bottom similar to the manner of the utilization at the top of the structure. A "simple short horizontal bottom strap 20 crossing the otherwise open bottom of the frame prev'ents loss of materials during treatment.

In still another phase of the invention illustrated in Figs. 10-11 the horizontal grooved members are entirely dispensed with in favor of additional bottom and top straps 22 also horizontal, which cooperate with centrally located horizontal straps l3 and with trapeze shaped handle 23 to hold this structure in spaced rigid relation.

The device illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 is quite similar to the two prior modifications of the inventions but will be of special interest where individual treatment of strips is preferred.

While I have illustrated and described the pre-' ferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do' not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications com ing within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claim.

claim as new, and

desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

In a holder for photographic film having a plu- 5 rality of opposed aligned laterally spaced vertical channel members with the free ends of their arms directed toward each other for receiving between the arms of each aligned pair of channel members strip of film, means at the top ends of said channel members closing the space between adjacent channel members and providing a smooth top surface for guiding strips of film into the space between the arms of each aligned pair of channel members, comprising horizontal channel members at the top ends of said first-mentioned channel members, said horizontal channel members having their free arms directed downwards and overlapping and secured to the top ends of adjacent arms of aligned pairs of said first-mentioned channel members and their intermediate arms extended across and closing the space between said adjacent arms of said aligned pairs of said firstmentioned channel members.

HERMAN MILLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,064,678 Alexander l 1 l- June 10, 1913 1,509,701 Burnstein 1 Sept. 23, 1924 3 1,661,378 Mc'Kellar I Mar. 6, 1928 1,782,068 Hazell 1.1 Nov. 18, 1930 2,082,876 Davis l June 8, 1937 2,120,706 Lynch June 14, 1938 2,122,723 Pinkham July 5, 1938 4 2,288,325 R'odler June 30, 1942 2,402,765 Mill-man June 25, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,202 Great Britain Mar. 21, 1887 16,074 Great Britain Sept. 8, 1892 22,578 Great Britain Nov. 8, 1901 194,060 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1923 

